Keeping our focus on the end goal – how ITSM makes impact on business outcomes November 8, 2009
Posted by ivankamenken in itil, itsm.Tags: business, IT Service Management, itil, itsm, process, service management
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Last week somebody accused me on being too much process focused and not enough focused on the end result.
After my initial emotive response (and the associated defence mechanism), I started to analyse why this person would say such a thing.
- In my discussions with people, and in my articles I talk a lot about the need for processes, disciplines and frameworks. (so yes, I can see how I come across as being purely process focused)
- Reason for this is that most of these discussions start around my professional expertise. This expertise is built around a niche in the IT industry: IT Service Management and how this can be combined with Cloud Computing Offerings. (so yes, I can see how my opinions, messages and comments may come across as one-sides erring on the side of the process)
- Where is see that a lot of people miss their goals, it is often because they stop following the processes and start ‘free wheeling’ without structure and discipline
Am I focused on the processes? Yes, I think I am. And the reason is because the lack of processes seems to be the driving force behind why most IT organisations don’t connect with the rest of the business. In the pat 2 months I have spoken with almost 100 CEO’s and Managing Directors and not ONE of them said that they really enjoyed and appreciated their IT organisation.
Not one of them commented on the fantastic level of communication and service focus of their IT groups.
This is why I am so passionate about IT Service Management and ITIL with its processes, procedures, work-instructions and activities. IT Service Management has the ability to make a major difference to many companies, small to large in revenue or size.
Do I lose sight of the end goal? I don’t think I am… in all my discussions with CIOs, CEOs and IT directors we always focus on the reason why there is a need for IT Service Management. After all – you don’t want to spend time and money on something that doesn’t make sense for your business, now do you???
What I learnt from Morten Lund, and why ITIL professionals should pay attention. October 12, 2009
Posted by ivankamenken in business, itil, itsm.Tags: business, IT Service Management, itil, itsm, service management, skype
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When I listened to Morten’s talk last week initially I wasn’t sure if I liked it or hated it.. didn’t quite know if there were lessons to be learnt and I only made a few notes.
Now, reading back those notes, I see that there are a number of things that IT Professionals – and especially ITIL consultants – can learn from his story.
First of all, this guy has a highly visited Wikipedia page! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morten_Lund . I mean – I don’t see Robert Stroud or Rob England mentioned (yet), and they are pretty big names in the ITIL/ITSM world. It reinforces to me that the ITIL / ITSM industry is quite small – we really work in a niche of a niche of a niche. Morten invested in a startup called “Skype”, that reaches a much larger audience…
One of the one-liners I jotted down during his talk stands out for me:
It’s simple, not easy
How many times have we heard this from our ITIL students? “it’s common sense, it’s so simple” As if the ITIL framework and our knowledge and expertise should be disregarded because of its simplicity.
Personally I find it a good thing that ITIL at its core is simple. But that doesn’t make it easy to implement and follow… This is probably why consultants find it difficult to justify that the implementation of the ITIL framework can take years. Something so simple should be easy to implement, it should only take a few weeks… WRONG! ITIL implementation is a head fake, it is not about ITIL – the framework is merely the structure, or the vehicle – the implementation is about cultural change and organisational maturity.
And to finish with another one-liner from Morten: “there is a fine line between vision and hallucination”, maybe that’s why so many ITIL implementations go off the rails…
Design your life – what ITIL/ITSM practitioners can learn from entrepreneurs October 10, 2009
Posted by ivankamenken in business, itil, itsm.Tags: business, dreamforce, entrepreneur, EO, IT Service Management, itsm, itsmf, salesforce
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OK – I have a confession to make.. I love hanging out with other entrepreneurs and business owners. It gives me such a buzz and inspiration! When you talk to other entrepreneurs there is always a new opportunity to discuss, or a renewed focus on the business and what customers really want or need. Last week I had the opportunity to spend 3 days talking to – and partying with – 350 entrepreneurs from across the globe at the Barcelona university organised by EO.
Since I came back I can’t help but wonder: why is it that these entrepreneurs invest their time and money in traveling the globe, only to meet in a city in Spain? And why is it that so many busy entrepreneurs want to get together while itSMF is struggling to get people to attend their conferences?
Another example is the Dreamforce conference in San Francisco this conference is built around one single product (and as such quite comparable to the itSMF which is built around 1 product also). Salesforce has a tribe, a loyal group of followers and clients who love and adore the product and can’t stop talking about it. They want to share their experiences and learn from each other.
Well – I have a theory:
- EO is all about sharing experiences, and not so much about giving opinions or advice.
Most people I have met in the itSMF groups don’t seem to do be focused on sharing their experiences anymore. The itSMF conferences seem to be more of a sales based activity where the focus is not so much on the learning and sharing aspect but more on marketing and sales. - Dreamforce is all about learning from other people. Everybody wants to know how to use the product to its full potential. itSMF seems to be more about listening to vendor stories.
- Both EO and Dreamforce have a very clear target audience; EO aims to engage leading enterpreneurs to learn and grow. Dreamforce is aimed at people who want to use the applications and platform to unlock the innovation in their teams. Makes me wonder what the target audience is for the itSMF…
Call me cynical or proof me wrong… I would love to hear examples of ‘unconditional ITIL/ITSM love’ in context of the itSMF. From where I am standing we – ITIL and ITSM practitioners can learn a lot from entrepreneurs about the art of sharing experiences to enhance further learning and growing.
Comment on Tweet from Majid Iqbal [ @majidiqbal ] September 24, 2009
Posted by ivankamenken in itil, itsm.Tags: the art of service, itil, value, IT Service Management, business, certification, ITIL V3, EXIN
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Majid wrote the following tweet on the 17th of September:
Call for re-write is for benefit of ITIL training industry; not necessarily for advancement of current best practice. Tails wagging dogs.
This may be so for a few influential players who will be involved with the re-write but most training organisations out there will be disadvantaged (yet again) by this update. It will most likely mean that the training provider has to update course materials, review practice exam questions and spend time understanding what these changes mean in the context of the entire framework.
It means another investment into the knowledge of the ITIL trainers, who will need non-billable time to digest the changes and update their materials.
It also means that the market has to deal with another level of confusion: when you did your Foundation exam for ITIL V3, does this mean you will need to do an update session to the new-ish version before you commence your Intermediate programs?
It also means that the exams will have to be updated, with all quality learning curve issues that appears to be the standard (if history repeats itself)…
So with all due respect – I don’t think that there are many training providers out there who are very happy with this result.
As an ITSM Professional I think that this review is a good thing for the advancement of current best practice – we all know that it could do with a few improvements! But as training provider I cringe at the additional workload that’s coming our way… again.
Is this the end of an era? Will Cloud Computing separate the “boys from the men”? September 19, 2009
Posted by ivankamenken in business, cloud computing, itsm.Tags: business, cloud computing, service management, technology, the art of service, value
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Had an interesting discussion today at lunch with the owner of an IT support company in Brisbane and the owner of a niche specialist IT provider for the retail industry about the effect Cloud Computing has and will have on this part of the IT industry.
The discussion really started when somebody asked about our experience with migrating from Exchange based email services to Google apps based services. And Scott made a valid point: the small IT support shop around the corner that services the Small Business segment will really feel the change in the market.
Ask yourself the question… seriously… if you had to start all over again, and set up IT systems for your business, would you purchase proprietary software or would you start off with Google Apps for your email, word processing, basic spreadsheets, intranet pages, etc?
I know what I would do.. we did it a few months ago: we no longer use Microsoft Exchange Server. We no longer need the IT support that goes with managing email ID’s etc. That could amount up to a massive cost saving for the small business owner, but what will it mean for the small IT shop?!?!
The only way to succeed in this industry (imho) is to be amazing with your services. Your clients will want to stay with you – not for the money, but for the unparalleled service which they can NOT get anywhere else!
Technology is replaceable for something with the exact same features and benefits – service is not.
The question most ITIL Experts dread at parties… September 18, 2009
Posted by ivankamenken in business, itil, itsm.Tags: business, elearning, IT Service Management, management, technology, the art of service
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Have you ever been at a birthday party or a neighborhood barbeque and have people asking you: “So, what is it that you do for a living?”
I used to HATE that question! I have been working in the field of IT Service Management for the last 13 years … and every time I answered this question, I would be attacked by technical stuff about their PC or laptop at home. Heck, I don’t know! I am not a PC specialist.. I am an IT Service Management specialist.
So – what do you say to people at parties?
I struggled with this for years. Even stopped mentioning the ‘IT’ in ITSM… but then it turns into.. well, yes – not quite dinner party conversation.
But the IT industry has matured now – no longer do I have to feel embarrassed about the fact that I work in the IT industry in a role that does not require detailed technical skills.
I can now proudly announce: I run a company that helps the career driven IT Professional with Educational programs and tools for personal and professional development. For example:
•Certification Courses
•Exam Preparation
•Study Guides
•Toolkits
•Templates, cheat sheets
Want to know what this looks like? Check out our websites:
http://theartofservice.com for product info
http://theartofservice.org for eLearning programs
http://theartofservice.net for general company information
Be Part of the Crowdsourced ITIL Experience Book – in just 10 Minutes of your time! September 12, 2009
Posted by ivankamenken in itil, itsm.Tags: author, book, business, certification, elearning, experience, itil, itsm, management, unique
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To join this project, register yourself as one of the authors.
As ITIL users most of us have the following question going through our mind: “What do other people do with this ITIL Framework?”
We at The Art of Service see thousands of clients go through our eLearning programs, use our products and speak with most of you on an individual level.
These conversations got us thinking: Wouldn’t it be cool if we can bundle all these experiences together into a book to learn from and share it with others out there to help them grow?
We don’t need long case studies – but it would be great if you share some of your experiences with the training, the ITIL Framework and the difference it has made for you.
You can share whatever you want: text or images. Just make sure it is original content and you own the right to any photos or images you wish to use.
What’s in it for you?
Cool stuff:
- As a reward, we’ll include you as a co-author in the Book, which will be distributed globally on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many others.
- And…we’ll send you a copy of the book to show (off) to your Mum and Dad
!
Your input into the ITIL Experience Book:
1. The learning experience
I enrolled in a course because
I completed the following program…
Did you sit for the certification exam (and did you pass)?
2. The ITIL Framework
I choose to study/use the ITIL Framework because…
I have applied my knowledge of ITIL in my job since finishing the course in the following ways…
The ITIL Framework has made a difference in the following ways…
The biggest benefit I and my organization have seen from using the ITIL Framework is…
3. About Me
My name is…
I’m located in (City/Country)…
My job-title / role in the company is…
My background / experience is…
How to create your entry
Simply register yourself as an author and follow the prompts.
What happens Next
- When the book has over 30.000 words or more than 100 authors, we’ve got enough material to halt entries, and start the publishing process.
- Once the book is finished (in typically a few months) , we’ll contact you for your address details on where to send your copy.
Good luck and enjoy the process. I’m looking forward to read about your experiences.
To join this project, register yourself as one of the authors.
Kind Regards,
Ivanka Menken
What ITIL Service Managers can learn from a Wall Street Stockbroker who ended up in Jail… September 1, 2009
Posted by ivankamenken in business, itsm.Tags: business, ethics, NLP, Sales, success
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WOW – that’s all I can say at the moment. I just returned back into the office after attending a lunch function. The speaker was Jordan Belfort, and I must admit that until 1 month ago I had never heard of him. But I knew this presentation was coming up so I bought his books in preparation of this event.
The topic of his presentation was how to be a successful person in business and in life and not make the mistakes he made.
There are 4 basics that he identified as being the foundation of his successful business:
The Knowledge that we can manage the state that we’re in,
the understanding that we all have beliefs that throttle or improve our achievements,
the strategy to be educated enough to know what we are supposed to be doing,
and the level of standard that enables us to grow at all levels.
Why is this important to us in the IT Industry? Well, first of all I think it’s important for everybody to understand these concepts as they don’t just deal with the business side of a person but also influence your personal and family life.
Second of all, I think that many people in the IT industry can take these wise words and learn from them.
We are like all living creatures; we either grow or die. And I don’t know about you – but I’d much rather grow!
In this email are a number of growth opportunities for you: ways to manage your strategy on reaching your goals. eLearning is a great way to get ahead and absorb the knowledge that you need to make the right decisions in a very short time frame.
This knowledge gives you the power to make the right choice in relation to your current career, or the direction you want to take your IT Department. It might even help you in setting up your own company and be extra ordinary in the way you deliver value to your customers.
So go ahead, don’t limit yourself by thinking that you’re too old, too busy, too technical, too distracted, or whatever you may come up with. Ask the right question: What will make you a better person? What action do you need to take to get that pay rise, or promotion, or new job, or respect, or business opportunity, or…
It might be as simple as signing up for the ITIL V3 eLearning programs…
Ivanka
<<copied from the email newsletter I sent to our clients today>>
Continual Improvement – what ITIL Service Management can learn from HR Management August 1, 2009
Posted by ivankamenken in business, itil, itsm.Tags: business, conference, IT Service Management, itil, ITIL expert, itsm, management
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As I was invited to speak at a Learning and Development conference in Sydney yesterday, I had the opportunity to listen to a number of the speakers.
Maybe my biggest learning is that I have been too much blinded / tunnel visioned around my area of expertise. In the past 15 years I only attended IT Service Management and IT Standard / IT governance related seminars….
SILLY!!!
Attending a seminar outside of your comfort zone and direct area of expertise really opens your eyes to innovative ways of improving your service delivery.
The little gem I picked up from the HR conference was from a presentation by Brad Markham who is the Manager Learning and Development of the Australian Institute of Management in New South Wales. His talk was around case studies to show the value add of Learning and Development Programs. One of his findings was that often they start a program to address a ‘performance deficit’ only to find that the individual staff members and teams actually perform really well. What they suffer from is ‘reporting deficit’ … and the improvement project are relatively simple: document and report on all the brilliant things that are being done in the organisation to make it more visible to all levels in the organisation.
Now ponder on that in an ITIL Service Management context… It will add value to the success of your ITIL implementation projects- I am sure of that!
Be careful what you wish for… about setting goals and have success June 1, 2009
Posted by ivankamenken in business.Tags: business, goal, success, target
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Today I flew Business Class to Hong Kong. For some people that is not a big deal, but for me it is! A few years ago I set myself a goal of flying business class before the age of 40, but had no idea that this was really achievable.
Now – you have to remember that I am Dutch, so by default I am very sceptical about spending money on ‘frivolous things’. I can’t help it… it’s in my genes!! So when I set this goal for myself it was very ‘out there’…. not something that would be easy to achieve, and most people who know me well would argue that it was a ridiculous goal to set as I would NEVER achieve it! But today, about 14 months later and 1 week before my 39th birthday here I am… sitting in Business Class flying to Hong Kong.
So what happened? Well – a couple of things really…
- I verbalised the goal and talked about it to other people
- I figured out the type of activities I needed to do to achieve the goal.
- I stuck with it and chipped away at it… one frequent flyer point at the time… !
- I set myself the goal but that was not enough! I needed to put it into an action plan.
About 14 months ago I would only dream of flying Business Class and hope that it would happen someday. But like my mentor always says: “Hope is NOT a strategy”
So I signed up for a frequent flyer program and started collecting points towards upgrades etc. And now I have my first upgrade.. I achieved my goal! One year and one week ahead of schedule!!! So, what can we take away from this? Well, apart from signing up for a frequent flyer program… it is very important to write our goals down. What is it that we want to achieve? Just talking about it isn’t enough.. WRITE IT DOWN! For some weird reason that is a lot more powerful. Write down your personal goals for the next 12 months… your business goals or your career goals…
Once you’ve written them down you can start talking about it with other people to shape the way you want to achieve your goal (notice that I no longer talk about a dream?!?! A dream doesn’t have an action plan…. goals do!) This stage is important as it will help you identify what you will need to do to make it happen.. what actions do you need to take? What activities and habits do you need to start? Now that you know what you need to do, the hard work is done.. all there is left is simply following your action plan! One day at a time.. .do the little baby steps.
One day you will get there.. believe me! It works for me…
But remember: ”BE CAREFULL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!”
